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Foreign nuclear power salesmen perturbed about radiation concerns in India

Radiation death in India raises nuclear safety concerns, (Reuters) 5 May 2010, – The radiation-related death of a scrap metal worker has raised concerns over nuclear safety in India, at a time when the Asian power is wooing foreign players to its $150 billion civilian nuclear market. Continue reading →

May 5, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, India | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

USA’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Nuclear Wastes More of a Nuclear Power Promoter

National Grassroots Summit and Forum
on Radioactive Waste Policy, Chicago, June 4-6

In January, the Obama Administration’s Dept. of Energy announced the creation of its “Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on the Future of Nuclear Power in America“, ostensibly to “study and recommend” what the U.S. should do about its radioactive waste problems, especially in light of the wise cancellation of the dangerous Yucca Mountain, Nevada dumpsite proposal. Many of us watched or attended the first meeting of the Commission in April — and are deeply disturbed by what we saw and heard. The panel seems much more devoted to expanding atomic energy than it is to addressing our nation’s unsolved radioactive waste crisis. Risky “illusions of solutions” for radioactive waste, such as reprocessing, also seem high on the Commission’s agenda.

As a response a number of organizations have come together to create a National Grassroots Summit and Forum on Radioactive Waste Policy — to articulate a national radioactive waste policy for the other 300 million Americans the DOE panel seems intent on ignoring. This event will be held in Chicago from Friday, June 4^th to Sunday, June 6^th.

May 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Pervasive radioactive risks in India

the death of a single person, through disparate chains of official negligence, serves to show that he was not safe. And neither are we.

The radioactive risk society , Indian Express, by Neha Sinha, 3 May 2010, On April 10, 2007, a uranium pipeline burst in Jaduguda, causing a spill of the fuel that keeps our nuclear energy schemes running. Further, adds Half Life, a report on radioactivity in India by environmental group Toxic Links, on August 16, 2008, another uranium pipe burst, spewing houses near the village of Dungridih in Jaduguda with uranium waste. Continue reading →

May 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, India | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Dr. Richard Meserve serving pro nuclear interests in USA’s radiation cancer research?

1 May 2010, Beyond Nuclear has requested that the National Academies of Science (NAS) conduct a review for conflict of interest on Dr. Richard Meserve who currently chairs the NAS Nuclear and Radiation Study Board. This is the board tasked to shape and supervise the new cancer study around US nuclear power facilities.

Beyond Nuclear notes that Dr. Meserve also currently serves as Senior to Counsel of DC law firm catering to nuclear industry interests, on the Boards of Directors for two nuclear power companies headquartered in Texas and California, as a member of the Board of Advisors to the French-US nuclear conglomerate looking to construct new reactors in the United States and also recently contributed to a Congressional lobbying effort by the nuclear industry which used a special advertising supplement in the Washington Post asking for increased federal loans for new reactor construction.

May 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

Coolant system failures – bound to happen in Japan’s fast breeder reactors

Japanese fast breeder nuclear reactor malfunctions and worse are ‘inevitable, Nuclear Reaction, 1 May 2010,Coolant system mishap at Japan’s long-stalled Monju fast breeder are “inevitable” in such reactors
‘NEW YORK – The Monju prototype fast breeder nuclear power reactor, which has been gearing up for an early May restart after a 15-year stoppage, suffered a temporary glitch in a coolant leakage detector Tuesday……

…….. one Japanese nuclear industry source familiar with the Monju project was quoted as saying in Japan Today that malfunctions of this type – and worse – are “inevitable” in such reactors. The government-affiliated agency said the sodium detector, housed in an auxiliary building to the reactor at the Monju centre in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, came to a halt after a fan motor overheated, triggering an alarm at 11:59 p.m. Monday. A fire accompanying a sodium leak shut down the reactor in December 1995, and the project has not been restarted since.’ Nuclear News: Japanese fast breeder nuclear reactor malfunctions and worse are ‘inevitable’ – Nuclear Reaction – A Greenpeace blog about nuclear power

May 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, technology | antinuclear, fast breeder, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, reactors, reprocessing | Leave a comment

Strong opposition to importing radioactive wastes to Hanford

Groups demand DOE end plans to send waste to Hanford By Annette Cary, Tri City Herald 30 April 2010, A coalition of Northwest environmental groups is demanding that Energy Secretary Steven Chu end any plans to import radioactive waste to Hanford.The Department of Energy agreed as part of a proposed settlement with the state of Washington not to send most types of radioactive waste to Hanford for disposal until the vitrification plant is in full operation to treat the worst waste now stored in underground tanks. That’s scheduled for 2022. Continue reading →

May 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | AUSTRALIA, nuclear, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors | Leave a comment

AREVA’s deceitful spin that nuclear power is clean

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

AREVA, France’s state-owned nuclear company is aggressively pursuing its world-wide business empire. Despite the recent revelations of the degradation AREVA has caused in Niger, AREVA claims this image of being a good global citizen. AREVA aso claims that nuclear is “clean”, and “carbon free ” ( forget the carbon polluting fuel and waste disposal cycle)

My advice to California about its “Clean” Energy Park – When you sup with the devil, use a long spoon

AREVA and the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group Move Closer to Clean Energy Park Today AREVA and the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group announced another important step toward building the nation’s most advanced Clean Energy Park to region near Fresno, California. AREVA and FNEG signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop the country’s most advanced Clean Energy Park in the state’s San Joaquin Valley.As part of the Clean Energy Park concept, both nuclear and renewable energy sources would be used for generating clean, reliable electricity..

..When complete, the park’s nuclear and solar energy sources would produce clean [?], constant, reliable, carbon-free electricity

April 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

U.S.A.’s business interests pushing for India’s Nuclear Liability Bill

The US government has its interest in the Bill as most nuclear firms because of a cap in the US have little business and they see an enormous opportunity at low cost in India.

No good civilian bargain, Central Chronicle – Madhya Pradesh’s News Portal Shivaji Sarka, April 28, 2010A scrap yard has exposed the country’s inability to handle a nuclear radiation hazard. The Mayapuri incident in the country’s capital, Delhi involving a cobalt-60 exposes the inadequacy of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Body and raises doubts about the efficacy of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill (CLND), put off for the present. Continue reading →

April 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, spinbuster | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

Resuscitation of nuclear industry in peril with no solution to radioactive wastes

DOE announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission of nuclear experts who will spend the next 18 months working to evaluate policy options for the management of spent nuclear fuel.

Nuclear Waste Issue Persists as New Plants Forge Ahead | ecopolitology, by Timothy B. Hurst on April 28, 2010 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Energy are preparing for a new era of American nuclear power plants.

The United States electric industry is gearing up to build new nuclear power plants for the first time in decades. Whether and when any of these new plants are actually completed depends on the outcome of many issues, including regulatory, financing and the ultimate disposal of spent nuclear fuel…… Continue reading →

April 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

Don’t add radioactive tailings to already polluted streams

What would the mining activities of two huge open-pit uranium mines, with a reported possible third mine at Coles Hill, do to the streams and rivers of Southside Virginia over the proposed mining span of 30 years?

Study links stream pollution to higher cancer rates, Star Tribune, , April 27, 2010 Researchers at West Virginia University and Virginia Tech now have the study findings to show a causal link between West Virginia streams, those polluted by coal mining activities, and premature cancer deaths in the humans who live near them. Continue reading →

April 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, water | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, reactors, uranium, water | Leave a comment

Virginia Beach uranium mining could contaminate drinking water

The city is concerned about uranium mining and milling because Lake Gaston, a major source of its drinking water, is located downstream from Coles Hill, site of the proposed uranium mine and mill.

Lawmaker: Spending more for uranium socioeconomic study ‘not wise’ GoDanRiver, By John Crane April 27, 2010 If a Virginia Beach study finds uranium mining and milling detrimental to Lake Gaston, then a socioeconomic study of the industry would be pointless, said a member of the Virginia Tobacco Commission’s executive committee. Continue reading →

April 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, water | antinuclear, nuclear secrecy, radiation, reactors, uranium | 1 Comment

Russia – a nuclear security danger!

the plant designs promoted by Russian companies (in particular, the floating stations) present high proliferation and environmental risks because they use uranium of a very high enrichment level, have caused accidents in the past, and create a byproduct that scientists are yet to learn how to dispose of.

Russia: A Nuclear Security Leader? Partnership for a Secure America , by Volha Charnysh |26 April 2010, Considered the Pandora’s box of nuclear security issues for decades, Russia is now being recast as a nuclear security leader……. However, Russia’s active and at times reckless pursuit of nuclear business contradicts its claim to nuclear security leadership and could weaken the commitments made at the Summit. Continue reading →

April 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, plutonium, radiation, radioactive, reactors | Leave a comment

Region’s death toll from Chernobyl nuclear accident close to 1 million

Chernobyl exploded in a remote backwater of an impoverished region. But by official accounts from Ukraine and Belarus, it did $500 billion in damage just there. Nowhere in the US would the property damage be remotely that small. The near-million death toll would be a mere fraction of how many would die here.

Chernobyl demands a REAL climate bill, THE FREE PRESS, Harvey Wassermann, April 26, 2010 “…….after nearly a quarter-century of industry denial, the New York Academy of Sciences has published, Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, the definitive catalog and analysis. Drawing on some 5,000 studies, three Russian scientists have placed the ultimate death toll at 985,000. Continue reading →

April 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, Ukraine | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, radiation, reactor, reactors | Leave a comment

Geramany: huge anti nuclear protests, on anniversary of Chernobyl disaster

More than 25,000 people known as “liquidators” – most of them Ukrainians, Russians and Belarussians – died after getting the accident under control and constructing a concrete shield over the wreckage, according to Ukrainian official figures.

PICTURE – more pictures of protests in Germany at: http://www.anti-atom-aktuell.de/fotos/20100424_ahaus-demo/index.html

VIDEOS (German language) at Atomkraft spaltet immer noch – WDR MEDIATHEK – WDR.de and http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/atomproteste106.html

Germans form chain in nuclear protest, The Age, April 25, 2010 AFP Tens of thousands of Germans have joined hands to form a human chain to protest against nuclear energy, two days before the 24th anniversary of the worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl in Ukraine. Continue reading →

April 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, nuclear weapons, reactors | Leave a comment

Britain’s “privatised” nuclear industry owned by French state company

Foreign governments are nationalizing British assets | TopNews United Kingdom by Shamsher Singh on Sun, 04/25/2010 – Britain’s craze for privatisation of industries such as rail, nuclear and utilities has been moving country’s important assets to foreign nations…….French firm EDF owns nuclear power group British Energy,…Foreign governments are nationalizing British assets | TopNews United Kingdom

April 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, UK | antinuclear, EDF, France, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, reactors | Leave a comment